Former Congressman and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Espy, speaks to Hattiesburg residents on his campaign for United States Senate at the Hattiesburg Train Depot on Saturday, September 23, 2018. (Photo: Susan Broadbridge/Hattiesburg American)

But sites in Mississippi aren't his only campaign stops. The Democrat is crisscrossing the country trying to convince donors and power brokers from New York to Chicago to contribute to his long-shot bid to become the first African-American senator from Mississippi since Reconstruction.

Raising money out of state is crucial for many candidates, but it’s even more critical for Espy whose core supporters in Mississippi's rural communities lack the deep pockets to help him mount a robust challenge to his two Republican rivals.

“I don’t have any choice but to go to those havens and those venues of people who are probably going to be Democrats, who are likely to find resonance with my approach and give to me politically,” Espy said.

Some political observers believe Espy has a shot, but say it’s an uphill battle in the ruby red state and much of his chances depend on boosting African-American turnout and capitalizing on the fierce battle between his Republican opponents.

“I hate to put a percentage on it, but I think it’s reasonable to discuss — there is a path forward for Espy to score an upset,” said Nathan Shrader, who co-chairs Millsaps College Political Science Department. “If he can boost traditional Democratic turnout to look more like a presidential-year turnout than a midterm, then he’s in this thing.”

Espy, a former Democratic congressman and U.S. secretary of agriculture under the Clinton administration, is running in a special election to replace Thad Cochran, a long-serving Republican senator who retired in April citing health reasons. Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who was appointed to fill Cochran’s unexpired term until the special election, and state Republican Sen. Chris McDaniel are the other top contenders.

The nonpartisan contest Nov. 6 is expected to go to a runoff between the top two vote- getters. Espy is expected to make it to the Nov. 27 runoff.

It also helped that in neighboring Alabama Doug Jones pulled off an upset last December to become the first Democrat in 25 years to represent the state in the U.S. Senate.

“We’re in a time when Republicans can’t take a lot for granted, particularly because if Democrats can win a Senate race in Alabama they can hypothetically win one in Mississippi,’’ said Kyle Kondik, who analyzes elections at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. “The race is getting attention and probably merits attention.”

Espy is taking advantage of that attention, traveling recently to Chicago and New York City for fundraisers and plans to return next week to Washington, D.C., where he will meet with potential donors in a supporter’s living room.

Espy said it’s hard to raise the money he needs in Mississippi where the 19.8 percent poverty rate is the highest in the country.

He hopes to raise at least $3 million. By the end of June, he had collected $408,236 and had $281,000 in his campaign coffers, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Hyde-Smith had $1.4 million, and McDaniel trailed with $156,054.

Espy said fundraising has picked up in the last month “as people see that the Democrats are doing better in Senate races around the country, as people begin to feel the urgency of the fact that control of the Senate just might depend on the results of this race.”

Meanwhile, Espy asked Jones for campaign tips when they crossed paths this summer.

“I picked his very fertile brain and I learned a lot from him and I’ve hired a lot of his people,” Espy said.

Espy’s team includes some of Jones’ former campaign staffers such as Joe Trippi as a media adviser and Rich McDaniel to handle his get-out-the-vote strategy.

'This is going to be a race run and won on the ground in Mississippi'

Despite similarities in their campaigns, Espy said there are differences. For example, he said, Mississippi has 13,000 more registered black voters than Alabama.

“On paper we start with a better scenario than Doug Jones started in Alabama,” he said.

In Mississippi, African-Americans make up nearly 38 percent of the population versus 27 percent in Alabama.

Black voters, particularly black women, are credited with helping Jones defeat Republican Roy Moore, a former Alabama chief justice. Moore’s campaign took a dive after the Washington Post reported allegations that Moore engaged in sexual misconduct with teenage girls when he was in his 30s. Moore vehemently denied those allegations.

Jones, who appeared at a state Democratic Party event in Mississippi earlier this year, said he thinks Espy also stands a chance.

“The same energy that we saw in Alabama I’ve seen in Mississippi,” said Jones. “Mike starts out with a really strong base. It’s just a question of engagement and getting folks out.”

Espy must not only convince black voters to vote for him, but, like Jones, he must appeal to white voters to win.

Espy said he’s doing that by talking about issues important to Mississippians, including access to affordable health care and quality education.

“It’s not a hard sell because they all want the same thing. Whether you’re African-American or white, you’re concerned about rural hospitals closing,” he said.

Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Bobby Moak said the Jones upset created an “outline” for state parties “and it certainly will be used here.”

Much like Jones and his supporters did in Alabama, state Democrats plan to step up efforts to target minority voters in the days before the election. ‘‘It’s not a trade secret,” Moak said.

Jones said he’s not sure yet whether he will campaign for Espy in Mississippi because he’s committed to first helping Democrats win local races in Alabama.

But Espy said he welcomes Jones to stump with him.

“I haven’t made that ask yet. He’s a good friend and I wouldn’t mind it at all…,” he said. “Right now, he’s tending his own store.”

Deval Patrick, a former Massachusetts governor, joined U.S. Senate candidate Mike Espy on Sept. 23 in Hattiesburg.(Photo: Susan Broadbridge/Hattiesburg American)

But some other high-profile Democrats have campaigned with Espy. Deval Patrick, a former Massachusetts governor, joined Espy this past weekend in Mississippi.

Eric Holder, former attorney general under President Barack Obama, said he will also help Espy.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., left, watches as Democrat Mike Espy pledges to work across party lines, during a brief speech in Jackson, Miss., Friday, July 20, 2018. Booker also spoke on Espy's behalf. Espy is in a special election to fill the final two years of a term started by Republican Thad Cochran. Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith was appointed to temporarily succeed Cochran, and she is running. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)(Photo: Rogelio V. Solis, AP)

Marty Wisemann, a member of the state Democratic Executive Committee, said a visit from Obama would be a bonus.

“I’ve sat back and daydreamed about what would happen if Obama landed in Memphis, then took a whistle-stop tour through the Delta and made a few stops in Mississippi …,” he said. “It certainly wouldn’t cost (Espy) any support. The voters that Obama would turn off aren’t about to vote for Obama or Espy anyway.”

Espy says he hasn’t asked, but he’s open to visits from Obama and even from former President Bill Clinton, his former boss. He talked with Clinton recently about his bid.

“He didn’t offer to come, but I’m open to whatever he wants to do,” Espy said.

For Espy, that would include Clinton helping raise money for his campaign.

“I really don’t need anyone to come to Mississippi to generate a vote for me,” said Espy. “We’re going to do pretty well already because I have a 94 percent name recognition in Mississippi. So it’s better for me to try to raise money outside and that’s what we’re doing.”

Booker and Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., recently introduced Espy to their colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, a largely Democratic group. The caucus’ political action committee contributed $5,000 to his campaign.

“We feel very good about his chances,” said Thompson, who holds Espy's old House seat. "He’s working hard and raising the money necessary to become a viable candidate.”

Thompson plans to join Espy at fundraisers in Washington, including one hosted by Rodney Slater, the former transportation secretary under Clinton. Slater contributed $1,000 to Espy’s campaign, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

“You’ve got to show people you’re serious,” he said, noting that Espy hasn’t been on a ballot in 25 years.

Moak said national party support has also stepped up in part because of Jones' win and Gov. John Bel Edwards' upset in Louisiana.

“We’ve probably got the best line of communication with the DNC (Democratic National Committee) since I’ve been aware of the Mississippi Democratic Party,” Moak said.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said it’s closely monitoring Espy’s race, but won’t say how much it has or plans to invest in it.

“Much like the Doug Jones race, this is going to be a race run and won on the ground in Mississippi,” said a committee aide.

Jones said national Democrats helped with his campaign, but noted he competed in a special election weeks after other competitive races were over.

“I was one race so there wasn’t a lot of competition,” he said. “Now you’ve got 10 Democrats that are up … and about four or five of those are very close. We got to keep those that we have.”

Espy said he has met with Minority Senate Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, whose political action committee contributed $10,000 to his campaign.

“I’m asking for more and more every day,'' Espy said of national Democrats. "I can’t make them do anything. I just can be the best candidate that I can be and run the best campaign that I can run and if they’re monitoring it and they feel good about it, then I think that they’ll do more."

'My present position is, anybody but the Democrat'

Money isn't Espy's only challenge. He's competing in a state that supported President Donald Trump and where all the statewide elected officials are Republicans. Thompson is the lone Democrat in the congressional delegation.

Mississippi Republican Party Chairman Lucien Smith is emphatic that Mississippi will not see an Alabama-style Democratic upset.

“I’m about as likely to grow wings and fly as Democrats are to win a Senate seat in Mississippi,” he said. “The Alabama Senate race had some issues very particular to Judge Moore that just aren’t present in Mississippi, aren’t transferable."

And while McDaniel has railed against the GOP “establishment” in Mississippi and Washington, Smith said the party would unite behind the Republican in the runoff.

“We will fight ‘til the last dog dies to make sure they win,” he said.

Espy’s GOP opponents also dismiss an Alabama-style upset.

“Mississippi is a very red state, obviously, and we are very organized and have been on the ballot five times, two times statewide,” said Hyde-Smith, who served as the state agriculture commissioner. “We’ve got four candidates in this race, and that’s the way I look at it — full steam ahead and staying on my priorities and my accomplishments and attributes and successes.”

If elected, Hyde-Smith would be the first woman elected to represent Mississippi in Congress.

Appointed U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, right, and her family with President Donald Trump.(Photo: Special to the Clarion Ledger)

Her campaign got a boost in August when Trump endorsed her. Trump was scheduled to campaign for her earlier this month but had to cancel because of Hurricane Florence. He has rescheduled to appear at a Mississippi rally and campaign stop Oct. 2 in Southaven.

Austin Barbour, a state and national Republican political consultant, is backing Hyde-Smith and sees no chance of a Democrat winning Cochran's old seat.

But while most polls show Hyde-Smith and Espy headed to a runoff, Barbour said McDaniel shouldn’t be underestimated.

“I absolutely think Chris McDaniel and his campaign effort must be taken very seriously,” he said. “There is no question he has a vocal base of support in Mississippi that will show up to vote for him on Election Day — rain, snow, sun or shine, they will show up for him.”

Some political observers said Espy’s best shot in the runoff is to face McDaniel, whom some have compared to Roy Moore in the Alabama race.

Chris McDaniel(Photo: Rogelio V. Solis, AP)

McDaniel says he’s not Moore, adding that they are from “different generations and view the world differently.”

“Plus, the accusations of pedophilia — those are about as terrible and harmful an accusation as can be made about another human being and that changed the entire trajectory of that race,’’ McDaniel said. “Then, finally he was running against a prosecutorial-type Democrat. We don’t have any of those comparisons here in Mississippi.”

McDaniel, an anti-establishment GOP firebrand, has focused on Hyde-Smith, a former Democrat, but said he sees her and Espy "philosophically as the same candidate."

"They’ve been members of the same party most of their adult lives,'' he said. "They’ve waved the same banner, had the same issues ... At the end of the day, what we’ve pointed out is stark contrast between her and a real Republican and true conservative."

McDaniel said he believes the state GOP would back him if he bests Hyde-Smith. “My present position is, anybody but the Democrat,” he said.

Political experts said a bitter battle between McDaniel and Hyde-Smith could split the party’s votes and sour support for either of them in a runoff.

"I don’t see McDaniel’s folks saying, ‘We lost fair and square, now let’s go vote for Cindy Hyde-Smith,'" said Wiseman. "I think they would just stay home or — no telling what they’d do."

McDaniel nearly defeated Cochran in the 2014 race.

Espy said he doesn’t care who he faces.

“The truth is, it really doesn’t matter ... all I’m doing is bringing out the vote,” he said. “I’ve got my head down. I’m speaking to the issues and whatever they’re going to do is what they’re going to do.”